Defending conference champion St. John Fisher College was selected as the top team in the Empire 8 Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Coaches Poll. The Cardinals, who finished fourth last year before posting back-to-back road wins in the conference tournament to capture the Empire 8 title, received five first-place votes in the poll.
St. John Fisher enters the season ranked 16th in the Lacrosse Magazine Preseason Poll and 18th in the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division III Preseason Poll. The Cardinals posted a first-round win over the College of Wooster in the NCAA Division III Women’s Lacrosse Championship, advancing to the “Sweet 16” of the tournament.
The Cardinals return their top six scorers from last year, led by senior attacker/midfielder
Lauren Glavin, who set school single-season records with 51 goals, 27 assists, and 78 points and earned first-team all-conference honors for the second straight season. Senior goalkeeper
Vicki Sahm has played every minute in goal each of the past two seasons and was named Most Valuable Player of the Empire 8 Women’s Lacrosse Championship.
Stevens Institute of Technology, which went undefeated in conference play last season and finished 16-2 overall with the title in the ECAC Metro/South Championship, is the coaches’ selection to finish second this season. The Ducks, who are ranked 16th in the IWLCA poll and 17th in the Inside Lacrosse poll, face three top-10 teams this season and five teams ranked or receiving votes.
Senior attack Alyssa Pigot of the Ducks was named Empire 8 Player of the Year last season after leading the conference with 73 goals, 97 points, and five game-winning goals. Junior midfielder Christine Smith and junior defender Kate Cox also earned first-team accolades in 2009. Smith totaled 45 goals, 57 points, 39 ground balls, 27 caused turnovers and a conference-high 75 draw controls. Cox picked up 56 ground balls and led the Empire 8 with 48 caused turnovers.
Ithaca College, which captured the 2008 Empire 8 title, is the coaches’ pick to place third this year.
Junior defender Abby Peterson garnered first-team all-conference recognition after recording 31 ground balls and 26 caused turnovers.
Rochester Institute of Technology is fourth in the preseason poll after advancing to the conference championship game in 2009. The Tigers must replace three-time Empire 8 Goalkeeper of the Year Kelsey Evans. Senior midfielder Ashley Pezze earned first-team honors last year after leading the team with 38 goals and 48 points, and posting a conference-high 73 ground balls.
Nazareth College, which earned the third seed in last year’s championship, has been chosen to finish fifth this season in the preseason coaches’ poll. Junior attack Michelle Cook earned second-team all-conference honors last season, pacing the Golden Flyers with 62 points on 41 goals and 21 assists.
Utica College is the choice of the coaches to finish sixth this season after narrowly missing the conference tournament last year. Junior attack Tammy Kohanksi has earned first-team all-conference honors in each of her first two seasons. She led the Pioneers with 52 goals and 61 points and has totaled 121 goals and 150 points in two years.
Elmira College, Hartwick College, and Alfred University finished in spots seven through nine, respectively, in the preseason poll. Sophomore attack Lindsay Mitchell led the Soaring Eagles with 38 goals and 44 points in her rookie campaign. Juniors Tiffanie Bishop and Briana Crow received honorable mention all-conference recognition for the Hawks in 2009. Junior attack Michelle Adams has led the Saxons in scoring in each of her first two seasons, garnering honorable mention all-conference honors each time.
2010 Empire 8 Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Coaches Poll
1. St. John Fisher College (5 first-place votes) 61 points
2. Stevens Institute of Technology (4) 59
3. Ithaca College 46
4. Rochester Institute of Technology 43
5. Nazareth College 36
6. Utica College 33
7. Elmira College 19
8. Hartwick College 18
9. Alfred University 12